GabMoves offers a number of workshops and mini-series to educate both members of the public and fellow trainers and teachers. The workshops draw on Gabrielle’s work for her Doctorate in the Science of Activity from the Kinesiology Department at The University of Montreal as well as thirty years of experience as an instructor and presenter. All the workshops contain a short lecture component as well as practical and physical practice.
For prices and availability contact Gabrielle Roddy at 514-245-5140 or at gabmoves@gmail.com.
Workshops offered:
Fall Prevention Workshops and Mini-Series
The Fall Prevention workshops are offered as a two-hour event for those who are simply looking for information and suggestions. It is also offered as a 5 to 10 week training series, which allows participants the time to practice the skills they are learning. This course offers not only fall prevention techniques but also falling techniques because sometimes, despite our best efforts, we can take a tumble!
There are a number of physical skills necessary to maintain balance and confidence while walking or moving in a variety of situations. The fall prevention portion of the workshop will cover exercises that specifically hone those skills:
- walking tips for uneven terrain
- scanning while walking
- switching directions
- balance exercises
- learning to switch feet quickly
- exercises for ankles, knees and hips
The reality is, at some point, everybody falls. This workshop series also teaches safe falling techniques. If the fall cannot be prevented we can reduce the chance of serious injury. Participants will practice a number of skills related to getting up and down off the floor, rolling out of a fall, squat to sit techniques. We will also cover how to assess your own injuries before you move if you are alone when you fall.
This workshop will be very physical but anyone will be able to participate. Participants who wish to play with the movements should wear long loose pants (to cover the knees) and socks.
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Self Esteem and Self Efficacy (2 to 3 hour workshop)
What is the difference between self-esteem and self-efficacy? Does low self-esteem and perceptions of self-efficacy stand in the way of an active lifestyle, or can they drive people to perform unhealthy amounts and types of exercise? These are important questions for both participants and health and fitness professionals. Through a short presentation and a series of fun activities this workshop explores self-efficacy and self-esteem as it relates to how we approach health and fitness in our lives. How can we best encourage self-esteem and perceptions of self-efficacy in ourselves or, for instructors, in our participants?
The workshop includes:
- A presentation dealing with the difference between self esteem and self efficacy and the roles they play in our physical lives.
- A self perception exercise
- Role playing exercises
- Practice encouraging others
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Preventing Injury for a Sustainable Yoga Practice
(5 week series or two day workshop)
This workshop will delve into the ongoing conversations surrounding the pros and cons of yoga asana (postures). Yoga is a powerful practice that can take its toll on shoulders, wrists, hips and backs as we repeat the same motions over and over again. There are a number of factors that can lead to people being injured in a yoga class. For example, every person in a class is starting from a different place. It is very difficult to find one class that fits all. Also, many people work at the end of their range in static stretches and lose the strength that is required to move safely from posture to posture. Finally, yoga is mostly pushing and there is not enough pulling to engage the back body and create symmetry. We’ll take a close look at the biomechanics of some of the more controversial yoga postures such as forward folds, pigeon and head and shoulder stands, as well as the repetitive nature of Sun Salutations, the recent research on stretching and more.
In the second part of the workshop we’ll add movement and strength building to problematic postures as a way for practitioners and students to offer or perform modifications. Learn how to plan dynamic sequences designed to create a sustainable yoga practice. To bring it all together, the workshop ends with a yoga class inspired by playful movement exploration.
The History of Movement Training! (2 to 3 hour workshop)
Everywhere you look someone is promoting some kind of movement modality, regimen or branded workout. Most often these movements are derived from dance, martial arts, calisthenics, yoga and many other disciplines. How do they differ in theory and practice from one another and what does that mean when we teach them? What are the similarities? How can the rise of functional movement be integrated into classical practices such as yoga and vice versa? How do we keep up with all the research? These are the questions we will explore in this active workshop. If you love playful exploration this is the workshop for you.
This workshop will be very physical but anyone will be able to participate. Participants who wish to play with the movements should wear long loose pants (to cover the knees) and socks.
Vision and Mobility Workshop (2 to 3 hour workshop)
The effect of gradual vision loss on our physical lives cannot be underestimated making this one of GabMoves’ most popular workshops. The workshop explores vision loss and its effect on mobility and emotional well-being. Gradual loss of vision can create a reluctance to participate in physical exercise and an inability to perform some activities of daily living. As activities that are valued by a person can no longer be performed, a decrease in autonomy occurs and eventually depression can follow. It is important for those in the fitness industry to recognize when their students, especially those that are older, are struggling with vision loss. There are steps that can be taken to ensure their inclusion and safety when they are participating in physical activity.
The first half of the workshop includes a lecture to introduce participants to the most common causes of vision loss such as Glaucoma, Macular Degeneration, and presbyopia (old eye), and their impact on the lives of the elderly.
The second half of the workshop will involve practical demonstrations of what it
feels like to move with partial limitations on our vision. Through the use of simulators that mimic common eye diseases workshop participants will try to navigate obstacle courses and a variety of exercises to fully understand the impact of loss of vision.